Machine for molding building-blocks.



PATE NTED DEC. 29, 1903.

J. B. GOTTOM. MACHINE FOR MOLDING BUILDING BLOCKS.

' APPLICATION FILED 00T.29. 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

m: Moams PETERS co PNOTO-LIYHO WASNINGTON, o, c,

No. 748,049. PATBNTED DEC. 29, 1903.

'J. B. GOTTOM. MACHINE FOR MOLDING BUILDING BLOCKS.

.APPLIOATION'TILED 001229. 1903.

N0 MODEL. 735 3/ 33 2-SHEETSSHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES l atnted member 29, 1902.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. OOTTOM, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 748,049, dated December90 Application filed October 29,

To all whom it may concern.-

. zen of the United States,residing atDayton,

in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain'newand useful Improvements in Machines for Molding Building-Blocks; andI do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, suchas will enableothers skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in machines formolding concrete or cement building blocks and-possesses the new anduseful features hereinaf ter described and claimed. p I l Precedingadetaildescription of the inven tion referenceis made to theaccompanying drawings, of whichy l Figure l'is afront elevation of themachine,

showing the flask elevated to a position to receive the materialfromwhich the block. is constructed. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is an elevation similar to Fig.

1, showing the flask lowered or reversed from it of the swinging frame.

ings through which the said posts pass. 5 designates two perpendicularracks which In a detail description of the invention similar referencecharacters indicate corresponding parts.

1 designates the four posts, which are rigidly attached to a base 2 andprovide guides for the vertically-movable table 3, the said table havingits corners 4 provided with openare rigidly securedattheir upper ends tosaid tablej These racks are engaged by two seg merit-gears 6 6, fastonashaft "7, that is suitably journaled in bearings 8, secured to the1903. Serial No. 173,961. (No model.) 1

front posts 1. One end of the shaft 7 has a hand-lever 9 fulcrumedthereon which carries a ratchet 10, that is adapted toengage aratchet-wheel 11, made fast on said shaft. It will therefore be seenthat by operating the lever 9 the table 3fmay be raised or lowered toreceive the molded blocks 12 from the flask, as shown in Fig. 3. Theflask consists of a bottom plate 13 and side and end plates 13 and 13which are strengthened on their exterior sides by suitable ribs and theinner faces of which are smooth where the building-block is to. possessa smooth surface, or the interior surfaces of said sides and ends,

as well as the bottom, may be provided with any suitable design,.forexample, to repre sent a rock-face or other ornamental surfaces.

The bott0m13 of the flask is fastened to the lower side of the swingingframe 16 by bolts which pass through openings 13 in said frame. (SeeFig. 7.) The sides and ends 13 and 13 maybe provided with a raised panel15 to provide depressions 15* in the block 12 for the reception ofliquid cement or plastic material to be poured in the openings 15 fromthe top. The block 12 (shown in Fig. 3) shows its ends to have thesesemicircular recesses 15, which form a dowel for the reception oftheliquid or plastic cement. The longitudinal dotted lines represent thedowel extending lengthwise of the block on both sides, whilethe recessesl5 show it on the ends. The said sides and ends of the flaskhave armshinged on shafts 15. The said shafts are mounted in the swinging frame16, the ends I of which. terminate in trunnions 16 which are journaledin boxes on the cross-heads 17, through which the upper ends of theposts j ustment spoken of is to'allow the flask to be squared and truedup properly. The shafts 15 of the side plates 13 provide hinges for thearms 14, and these shafts 15are journaled in armslS, which project fromopposite sides of theswinging frame 16 and are parts of said 5 14: and14 extending therefrom which are frame. The shafts 15 of the end plates13 project from the frame 16 at right angles to the shafts 15 of theside plates. The upper ends of the arms 14: and 14 are connected withcross-heads 24 and 25, to which crossheads there are connected a seriesof connecting-rods 18 The inner ends of these connecting-rods arepivoted to a turn-table consisting of two disks 19 and 19 the pivotsbeing indicated at 29. Said turn-table is pivoted to the swinging frame16 at 19 (See Figs. 6 and 7.) The outer ends of each of theconnecting-rods 18 has a ball-and-socket connection with thecross-heads. (See Fig. 5.) The ball 30 is on a sleeve 31, which is adjustably connected to the outer ends of said connecting-rods, each ballresting within an oblong recess 32 in the lower surface of thecross-head and having its upper side inclosed by a plate 33, said platehaving its inner surface provided with a similar oblong recess toreceive the upper side of said ball. The plates 33 are bolted to thecross-heads, and thus the ball-and-socket joints are formed. Theturn-table is operated by means of a hand-bar 20,which is securedthereto. In the operation of this hand-bar in one direction theconnecting-rods 18 are so actuated as to be drawn inwardly, and therebythe side and end plates 13 and 13 of the flask are spread apart oropened on their hinges 15, as in Fig. 3, to deliver the block 12 uponthe table 3. The opposite movement of the handle 20 will cause saidplates to close.

21 designates a hand-lever which is pivoted to one of the trnnnions 16of the swinging frame. This hand-lever engages an arm 21, projectingfrom one of the posts, and is locked thereby to prevent the swingingframe from moving out of either positions, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.The hand-lever 21 is utilized to reverse the positions of the flask bydrawing said lever outwardly from engagement with the arm 21 and in thenusing it as a handle to tilt the frame 16 and therewith the flask fromthe upper to the lower position, and vice versa. As the flask is shownin Figs. 1 and 2 it occupies the upper position,

or, in other words, the mouth of the flask is turned upward to receivethe material from which the block 12 is formed. This material iscomposed of a suitable quantity of sand and cement, which is firstplaced within the flask against the sides, ends, and bottom thereof toform the face of the block. The rest of the flask is then filled withgrouting to form the body of the block. This material is rammed ortamped in the flask until all the interior surfaces have been properlyfilled. This being-done, the follow-board 22 is drawn across the mouthof the flask to level the material therein, and said board 22 is thenused as a cover for the mouth of the flask and is secured in position bymeans of hooks 24'. One of these books is attached to each of the sideplates 13, and the said hooks engage with pins 23 on opposite edges ofthe board, and thus hold it. When the material is thus secured withinthe flask, it is swung to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 or isreversed in position by means of the hand-lever 21. One-half of thecircle of movement of the tilting frame 16 moves said flask from oneposition to the other. When the flask is in the lower position, as shownin Figs. 3 and 4, the handle 20 is turned to open the side and endplates 13 and 13 on their hinges 15. The table 3 is first elevated to aposition to bring it in contact with the board 22. When the handle 20 isthus operated to open the flask, it will be readily seen that thefinished block 12 is delivered to the board 22, which is lowered to aposition to clear the flask by means of the hand-lever 9, which, asbefore stated, is instrumental in raising and lowering the table 3 bymeans of the gears 5 and 6.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a machine of the characterspecified, aflask consisting of a rigid bottom, disconnected side andend plates each of which terminates in an upward extension, a swingingframe upon which said bottom is fixed and to which said plates arehinged, a turn-table pivoted on said swinging frame, ball-andsocketconnections between said turn-table and the extensions of said side andend plates, and means for moving said turn-table in opposite directionsto open and close the side and end plates of the flask, substantially asset forth.

2. In a machine of the character specified, I

a swinging frame, means for swinging said frame to its reversedpositions, a flask, the bottom of which is fixed to said frame, and thesides and ends of which are hinged to said swinging frame, a turn-tableon said frame, connecting-rods pivoted to said turntable,ball-and-socket connections between the outer ends of saidconnecting-rods and the upper portions of the sides and ends of theflask, a handle for moving said turn-table in opposite directions toopen or close the flask, substantially as set forth. v

3. In a machine of the character specified, the combination with anupright frame, a table mounted on said frame, means for moving saidtable vertically, of a swinging frame mounted on the upper end of saidupright frame,a flask consisting of a rigid bottom on said frame anddisconnected side and end plates having extensions, hinged connectionsbetween said extensions and the swinging frame, a turn-table,connecting-rods pivoted to said turn-table, adjustable ball-and-socketconnections between the outer ends of said connecting-rods and the upperends of the flask-plate extensions, a handle connected to saidturn-table by means of which it is movable in opposite directions toopen or close the flasks, and means for reversing the positions of theswinging frame to bring the flask in a position to receive the materialand to then bring it in a position to discharge the block upon thetable, substantially as set forth.

on said stationary frame, a flask mounted on said swinging frame, aturn-table on said swinging frame, and connections between saidturn-table and the sides and ends of the flask and whereby in themovements of the turn-table, the flask is opened and closed,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES B. COTTOM.

Witnesses:

R. J. MOOARTY, CAROLYN M. THEOBALD.

